A Whole New Beginning
by asianpearl
Summary: "Jellal," came her breathy whisper, and he felt her warmth on his lips. My interpretation of the kiss in ch 264 :


**A Whole New Beginning**

She can't remember the last time they were alone together.

The waves crash and break against the shore. Dusk was fast approaching, and as they talked, the entire coastline seemed to bask in the golden orange light of the setting sun. It seemed, like always, time would never be their ally.

He fills the air with talk of sorrow, of Simon, Nirvana and the Tower of Heaven. He wants her to know that he remembers, regrets, and wishes for redemption. And he tells her –with averted eyes- that he would not hate her if she were to kill him, that he would accept it gladly.

She scoffs lightly as irritation bites into her. After all this time, was he still that ignorant?

"Do you really think Simon would want me to kill you?"

He doesn't reply. But she doesn't expect him to.

"This your path to redemption isn't it? Setting up your own guild to eliminate all the dark guilds? Are you honestly telling me you plan on giving up so easily?"

A heavy sigh escapes his lips, and then,

"I don't know,"

A frown tugs at the corners of his lips; casts a shadow over his face, making him look at least a decade older.

"I feel as though its not enough, like anything that I do now will never atone for my sins. And I keep wondering if I'm just better of dead,"

'SLAP'

She realizes that he has probably never told this to anyone. She realizes that he has opened his heart to is her; but she is also angry. She is angry that he values his life so little. She is angry that he has lost faith so easily, and most of all, she is angry that he even considered leaving her again.

And he does not react to her temper. And that angers her even further.

"You coward! You're just going to stop living because you think you're not strong enough? Don't you understand that even being alive is a sign of strength?"

She is close to tears now, but she has to make him see, to make him believe again. Her hand grips into a fist, and her voice rises in determination.

"And besides, you're not the same Jellal you once were! You don't have to struggle to live anymore! You're stronger now!"

His voice was so small, so timid; she almost missed it when he said,

"Maybe you're right"

But that wasn't enough for her, with a frustrated yell; she advanced on him, gasping the collar of his silky new coat, trying to shake some sense into him. Maybe it was her clumsiness, maybe it was just dumb luck, or maybe it was divine intervention; but suddenly her foot knocks into a harmless little rock, and she stumbles; right into the arms of the man himself.

But the momentum was to great, and instead of catching her, he himself topples off balance, and both of them roll backwards, like some peculiar human cartwheel, down a grassy hill that she hadn't even noticed to be there.

Puffpods, as Lucy would later inform her, were a peculiar sort of flower. When disturbed, these lotus shaped pods would release fragrant pink bubbles, which made them a popular decoration in certain wealthy homes.

Their tumble landed them in a field full of puffpods. But Erza didn't notice that the air was suddenly filled with the floating pink bubbles, or that the colorful birds around them were slowly returning to their nests, chirping their glorious evensong as they flew. Her wide-eyed attention was drawn to the man who had fallen on all fours on top of her.

Their hearts raced, and like love-struck teenagers experimenting for the first time, spent a near eternity staring into each other's eyes. And slowly, but surely, something shifted in his green orbs, and they darkened with unabashed emotion. And she blushed, her cheeks and neck turning pink as the blood rushed to her skin.

He found it adorable.

"You're always right," he said, his voice dropping a pitch.

"No, that's not true" she replied, not entirely sure why she sounded so breathless, so shy.

"I really tried hard to stay alive," a ghost of a smile tugged at his lips as he continued memorizing her features "No matter how clumsy I got"

He was teasing her, she knew he was. But she was glad he wanted to live, to move on; and more than anything, she wanted to be by his side. But fate was cruel, and so was the council. If they found him, she feared what they might do to him. And they _would_ find him, if she and him were together.

"Erza-" he began

"I don't think we can see each other from now on"

And it hurt every fiber in her being to tell him that, but she had to, no matter how painful it was; no matter if her heart broke in the process.

And he understood, and as her body trembled with silent sobs, as she wiped away the lone tear which ran down her face, me moved his hands to grasp her head, gently tilting it forward, moving it closer to his. Her eyes widened, as his became half lidded.

"Jellal," came her breathy whisper, and he felt her warmth on his lips.

…

'_We'll do it together, of course we will' said a younger Jellal, eyes blazing with determination._

…

'_You'll be … Scarlet! Erza Scarlet! Like your hair! That way, I'll never forget you!,'_

…

_He broke into the throne room, finding her bloodied and bruised. Tears running down his cheeks, he embraced her prone form_

'_They'll pay for this, I swear, I'll make them pay!'_

…

'_There is no such thing as true freedom,' he whispered in her ear, and she shuddered in fear, knowing that this was not the Jellal she knew and loved._

…

He drew closer still, and the memories came rushing back like a torrential waterfall

…

_In his white council garb, he waits for her outside the room, leaning lazily against the pillar as he watches her being brought towards him; because he's selfish in that way, and he wants her full attention to him and him alone._

Brief words are exchanged about the trial, but they are meaningless to him, all he hears is only the sound of her voice.

He takes her chin between his fingers, gently, but firmly, keeping her in place as he leans in, whispering a secret only they can know. She doesn't turn away, and he knows he can't either.

Their breaths mingle with each other, their lips only inches away, and his eyes flutter shut to quell the flames of desire that surge through his veins. He pulls away, a made up smirk on his face, not allowing her across the barriers he has worked so hard to build.

And she is rigid, motionless, confused and afraid, for the feelings scare her just as much.

…

_'__I'm fortunate that all the women in my life are stupid enough to believe what I say,' as the tower of heaven shudders and collapses around them._

_Jellal let out a maniacal laugh as Erza swung her twin swords into the tower again, missing him, but shattering a host of lacrima crystals in the process._

_'__Is that all you've got? Did you perhaps use all your energy fighting Ikagura?,'_

…

_'__I wasn't strong enough… to beat Zeref in the end,' how easily the lies passed through his lips. How foolishly she let her guard down and sympathy crossed her features. How stupid. How innocent. _

…

_The Binding Snake worked its magic, burning her skin, eating into her muscles, halting her movement. As she screamed in pain, he said the words that would hurt her even more._

_'__I love you, Erza,'_

…

And she remembers the time he awoke for Nirvana without memories, and how he clung on to the light and warmth of her name. She remembers how he tried ending his life with the self-destruct spell, and how afraid she was back then. She also remembers the time the council members brought him away, and how she truly believed that she would never see him again. And realizes, belatedly, that she has never been this relieved, in such a long time.

Her mind went blissfully blank, and her lips parted, of their own accord, as he closed the distance between them. His kiss, as it turned out, was gentle yet passionate. And at that moment, everything seemed to fall into place.

If she could use time magic, like Ultear, she would slow the clock down, so that she could savor the softness of his lips, the smell of his cologne, and the feeling of his hands around her body; for just a little longer.

And if she could teleport, like Mest -or Doranbolt- she would move them to somewhere no one would find them. And she thanked her lucky stars –and Ultear- that Natsu and the rest were probably to preoccupied by writhing in pain to barge in on them right now.

Huh, who knew she could be such a sadist.

To her surprise, he pushed her away, and with a grimace on his face, he said

"I should have never done that"

If he had seen her expression then, he would probably loose all his willpower in denying her.

"I have a fiancée"

It took all of three seconds for his words to sink in, and after that, rushed and frantic apologies were yelled between the two. But she noticed the look on his face, and she understood. She smiled sadly and said,

"I'll bet she's very important to you right?"

He nodded grimly, and she pressed on, laying a hand on one of his.

"Is she your reason for living?"

He looked up into her eyes.

"She is. And I can only hope she feels the same way about me,"

…

It was past midnight when the gang finally recovered from Ultear's magic enhancement spell and were eager to try out their new capabilities. And as they each raced off to their separate corners of the island, Lucy strolled over to the cove where Erza stood; gazing out absently at the ocean.

"It's a real shame that they couldn't stay long," said Lucy in a bubbly voice "I mean, now that they're not trying to kill us, I kinda enjoy their company,"

When Erza didn't reply, Lucy took it as a sign to prod further.

"Is everything okay with you and Jellal? You've been acting strangely since you guys came back from wherever it is that you guys went"

Lucy's eyes suddenly widened and she suddenly grabbed Erza's shoulders and spun the redhead towards her.

"No way. He didn't hurt you or anything did he? In the name of the spirit king, I swear if I did anything, I'll.. I'll-"

The redhead giggled lightly. Taking Lucy's hands in hers, she said,

"He didn't hurt me, he wouldn't dare," she said, smiling. And to Lucy's bewildered expression she said,

"It's not the ending, in fact, I think it's going to be a brand new beginning,"

**THIS IS GERZAAAAAAAAAAA! LOL**

**I was so inspired by today's chapter that I just HAD to write my own fanfic interpretation of it :D**

**I realize that it has been over a year since I've updated any of my stories, but never fear, I have not given up on writing and Fairy tail and hopefully, PTR will be updated soon **

**Review Please!  
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**Cheers,**

**Asianpearl **


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